Posted by
Overflowing Brain
at
4:46 PM
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The BrainMonday, November 26, 2007

Pre-op is done. Highly uneventful other than my high blood pressure and racing pulse (yea, I'm a little anxious, weird right?) I met with a nurse who asked 800 questions and then stuck q-tips up my nose to check for MRSA. Then I had some blood drawn, gave the only urine sample I've ever given that didn't make me wish that I didn't have a bladder and then we met with Hot Anesthesiologist. Oh my goodness gracious. He was married and surely not more attractive than The Fiance, but he was nice(...to look at). He wrote down 3 times for me that I was concerned about post-op nausea and vomiting and he put a star by one of them, just to make sure it got noticed. :) He answered a lot of questions and dropped the bombshell that I probably won't be allowed to wear real clothes the whole time I'm inpatient, which I am none too thrilled about. Harumpf.

Then my mom and I went shopping for any and everything we could ever need and then set up the Christmas tree (fake!) and Menorah (real!) and now we're vegging out and doing a whole lot of nothing.

Tomorrow I go in two hours prior to my surgery for the complete history and physical and all the surgical prep (they're not shaving my head until after I'm unconscious, ditto on the cath). I may end up with a central line and will have an arterial line, but other than that, it's what we expect- a big-ass incision on the back of my head.

The procedure is as follows (possibly not in this order, but you get the essence)- incision to remove small part of cranium, then remove small part of C1 vertebrae, then cut through the outermost lining of the brain (dura mater, which is german or some other language for "tough mother" heh) where they'll add a patch on it to increase the room for my gigantor brain.

Easy peasy, right?

I should be in the hospital until at least Friday, possibly through Monday. I likely will not update here and I'm not going to have Kim update here, but if you'd like to venture to my other site (which I know I've never linked here, but for this I will) and see the latest news, the address is: (removed, if you want it, email me...if you need my email address, leave a comment on the latest post and I'll get it to you)

I will miss you and will be back at the computer as soon as I am physically capable of doing so.

Missing you already.

12
comments:

Anonymous
said...

Hi Katie,

I have followed both of your sites for a while now but never left a comment. I wanted to wish you well tomorrow and know that you will be in my prayers. I look forward to hearing great things really soon.

Just wanted to tell you again good luck with your surgery tomorrow. I'm confident all will go just as expected and you'll get the relief you're seeking finally. I'll keep an eye on your caringbridge site (I sign in there but don't think I've ever signed here, hmmm) and will be anxiously awaiting any updates Kim or anyone else you elect can provide for us.

Hmmm... pretty strange that your pressure was high & your pulse fast. No clue why that would happen. (This just isn't the same if you can't stick in a little smilie who's hysterical laughing.)

More prayers coming your way. While they're messing with your brain, tell them to arrange for you to have some really neat dreams while they're in there. (What? They don't know how to do that? Well maybe they better figure that out!)

Everything is going to be fine, as evidenced by the fact that what they are working on is a "tough mother"...oh how I love that! But, I must say...so, you don't want me messing with your blog, huh? Hehehe...that's probably a good idea; I mightjust give you a whole new template and put up all kinds of false Blogger Awards and such...and MeMe's, with stuff that I MAKE UP but say that IT IS ABOUT YOU. BWAHAHAHA! No, really, I wouldn't do that...but it is kinda fun to think about :).

I will be a good CB updater for you, and I will undoubtedly be speaking of you on my blog also, so I can always drop a little comment here, too. Don't try to stop me...I AM WOMAN, WATCH ME BLOG.

I'm glad you got HOTTIE ANESTHESIOLOGIST. That is much preferrable to PISSED-OFF ANESTHESIOLOGIST that I got for my knee manipulation. Not confidence-inspiring, but everything came out okay. Obviously. Hehehe.

Prayers too numerous to mention, gentle hugs so as not to jar Gigantor, and love, lots of which you deserve. And tell your Mom for me that I'm also thinking of her...

Katie I used to read your caringbridge site but during a computer change lost your site although soon after I found this one :). I am glad that you gave the other site today and I will be checking it and praying for you. Can't wait until you are able to update yourself, missing you already also.Kathy in NC

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About Me

I'm a 26 year old former teacher turned full time graduate student. I live in Southern California after a 3 year stint in New Orleans with my husband Slappy (formerly The Fiance) and our cats (yea, we're those people).
In February of 2006 I was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation, which is a fancy way of saying that my brain was too big for my skull (get it? overflowing brain). On November 27th, 2007 I had brain surgery which allows my brain to exist indefinitely in my spinal canal. 13 staples, one cow heart lining and a multitude of doctors and medications later, I'm living a much improved decompressed life.